Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Scheduled Post number 2 (nyc and beach posts coming soon!!) No, no.. not Minnie the mouse.. Minnie Mortimer, the designer! I am just in love with her clothing line. I had actually never heard of it until recently. I was in a South Moon Under store which I am normally never huge on because things tend to be very of-the-moment/trendy, and anyone who reads this blog knows that I have more of a classic, preppy, young style than a trendy one. So anyways, I kept picking out things that I really liked and they all had one thing in common: the brand. Of course the designer is Minnie Mortimer. So I did a little research and she has a website of course which has her somewhat small collection of pieces available. I love her styling. Her clothes are trendy and young but they definitely have a preppy/classic and almost nautical and school girl flair as well. I checked on South Moon Under's website and they only have one striped dress available which I don't really even care for but when I was in the actual store, they had a larger selection of her collection available. Here are the pieces that I am obsessed with, although this is not a very good obsession for me to develop considering all of her pieces are well over $100 if not into the $200 and $300 range (and with my already rampant Lilly obsession, I am bound to be broke before I even graduate college and get a real job!).A lot of her pictures are artsy like this which I dislike because then you cannot get a very good idea of what the clothes look like, but I just love this dress!

Love this blazer. Has an amazing cut, and the inside lining is just too cute. I actually love the gray one but once again there is not a good enough picture to show you!

Love this wrap dress. I love the pale subdued stripes and the sexy top of the dress, but the dress doesn't come off looking like you are one of those girls that look like they belong on a street corner!

Oh MM, how I love your clothes.. can I please have all of them? Have any of you ever seen her clothes at South Moon Under? I don't have a SMU anywhere near me so it's always fun to stop into one when I am vacationing! Have a fabulous day!Yours,sCe

Monday, June 28, 2010

Right now I am in NYC for the day shopping until I drop so here is a scheduled post!
During the summer months instead of eating large meals, I usually gravitate toward fresh fruits and veggies and fun treats. I am a lifeguard and sometimes I like to bring something to snack on. However, I hate eating something unhealthy while I am life guarding because it makes me feel extra guilty because I sit in a chair for several hours at a time. These are my go-to summer snacks that are somewhat healthy, delicious and quick!With all of this hype surrounding the "good fat" in certain nuts, I had to find something that I would like! These are just perfect. I love the container too. No refrigeration or preparation needed. It also gives me my chocolate fix in a much healthier way. No more carting around chocolate only to have it melt in the heat, these almonds contain a light dusting of powder so it's also clean! They come in 100 calorie packs as well, and while I do like that, I find that taking the almonds in the canister is much more convenient.I have always had a thing for hummus, but my true love is red pepper hummus. My favorite companion is the baby carrot--a very orange snack but it's too delicious and nice and refreshing on a hot day.I could probably eat the entire pint of any flavor of Whole Fruit sorbet in one sitting. It's fat free, and maybe not the healthiest because of the sugar, but it's relatively low in calories and is oh so delicious. My favorite flavors are raspberry and mango.Love guac! Basically anything that has avocado in it, I will love. I add guac or avocado to my burger, my chicken, wheat tortilla chips, veggies, etc. The possibilities are endless.

What are your favorite summer snacks that help you not be afraid to show off your bikini bod?! I'd love to know! Have a fabulous day!
Yours,
sCe

Friday, June 25, 2010

I'm off for some fun in the sun on the beach and then NYC to shop 'til I drop! (I can assure you I will be hitting the new Eloise boutique right in the Plaza hotel!) I've been looking at pictures for weeks waiting for my day to visit the pink plaza! Can't wait to report back! What are your plans for the weekend? Have a fabulous weekend!Yours,sCe

Thursday, June 24, 2010

I wanted to share two dresses with you that I've worn in the past several days. The red one is what I wore on Father's day! I got this at Forever 21, and you would never guess because it's actually very well made as opposed to most of their clothing. I've had this dress for about three years and have only ever worn it once before so I decided it should see the light of day once again. I have a new found love for it! The cut is very fun and flattering, and while I usually tend to avoid the color red, I like the red with the beautiful white stitching.This black dress is a maxi dress. I got this last year at a small boutique near my home. It's a casual jersey knit material. You cannot tell in this picture but the fabric twists for the straps which adds a little detail to an otherwise plain dress. I really like the concept of a maxi dress and boy are they comfortable! I wore flat sandals and one cream bangle and the usual pearl earrings. Over accessorizing with maxi dress can give this style a tacky feel, so just add one or two accessories! I do have to say that I bought the dress in black rather than a color or a print because I think sometimes printed or colored maxi dresses give the appearance of making the body look a whole lot larger than it really is and I find the black rather slimming.

I hope you all have a fabulous day! Stay cool in this extremely hot weather! I will be doing a packing post because I am headed to NYC and a beach in NJ on Friday!Yours,sCe

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Last week I was out shopping for Father's day with my mother and we stopped in both T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. While we didn't find anything for my father, we hit the absolute Lilly P. jackpot! Marshalls was so/so. Here is what I scored from Marshalls:This top was only $10. I love the teal-ish green color and it fits just perfectly!

After leaving Marshalls, we headed to T.J. Maxx and that is where we hit the mother-load! There were so many items on clearance, there were deals to be had all over!

I did not purchase this adorable Wet Bikini bag because I already have one, but I took a picture of it for all of you because 1. it is just too adorable, and 2. I received many e-mails regarding the bathing suit bag that I carry in my beach bag and where to find one, and T.J. Maxx and Marshalls are the best places to look.. This one was under $10.

You can never have too many note cards. These were Barbie ones that I have never seen before and just couldn't pass them up. Especially for $3.99! I like to keep several boxes of note cards on hand in case I run out or just because they make a lovely hostess gift.

Love, love, love this mug! It was on clearance for $2.99 and there was only one of them so I did not purchase it, but I just had to snap a quick picture because it was too darling to not notice!

This was the first Lilly item I spotted. I've never seen this dress before and I think it's too cute, but sadly it was too large of a size for myself or my mother. I believe it was only $60.

This top is just lovely. I love the way it fits and I love the mod/retro style that it gives. This top was on clearance for $29. An absolute steal! (I was wearing white Bermudas that day; I think the top looks darling with the white bottoms!)

I love this entire outfit. The pants fit just perfectly and were only $29 and I think this jacket is now my most favorite piece of clothing that I own. The jacket was an absolute steal for $50. The fit is so flattering and the quality is top notch. I cannot wait for cool fall weather just so I can sport this new outfit!

I am obsessed with the buttons. This is the best for a close-up I could get. It's the Lilly logo stamped into the buttons. I also am loving the fact that I have Lilly sunglasses with the same exact logo on each side.

These super-cute capris were $20. Can you believe it?! I couldn't! They are so fun and will be a hit all summer long!

Do not walk, run to your nearest T.J. Maxx and see if they have some amazing deals on LP! I also noticed they had some Talbots items on clearance. I have never seen Talbots being offered at Marshalls or TJ's so I was quite surprised. The Talbots only seemed to come in larger sizes so I didn't find anything for myself. Have you found anything great at your local discount stores? I sure hope you all get as lucky as myself! Have a fabulous day!Yours,sCe

Monday, June 21, 2010

I haven't done a current wish list in around a month or two, so here is what has been adding to my ever growing list of wants:Anthropologie- saw a friend wearing this in her hair and just loved it!

PB Teen If you are a college student, I totally recommend a lap desk. I haven't seen this kind before where you can just fold it up for easy storage. The one I currently have is the one with the cushion that sits on your lap; which is actually quite bulky and takes up the limited storage space. I love love love this lap desk. It's personalized, comes in pink, and takes up little room.. what more could you ask for!

Williams Sonoma - Talk about something made for a college student. They look and feel like glass, but they are not! Colorful, Durable, Monogrammed; check, check, and check. They can only be ordered online in sets of 6 and the set is $50 so each cup is a little under $10 each. Hello back to school present pour moi!

Robert Graham- I've never seen a tunic I haven't loved and this sure is no exception. At $228, a college girl can dream.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Friday, June 18, 2010

Recently I've been seeing tons of denim shorts while out shopping. Whether it be in stores such as Nordstrom and J.Crew or even in Macy's. To me, I think a pair of plain denim shorts does not go out of style. However, it seems that they have come "into style" once again; popping up everywhere. This time it seems to be the cut off, cuffed, and super short look. If you have looked at People, Us, or Ok magazines, you are sure to have seen that all of the west coast celebs are wearing this "trend". I have not owned a pair of denim shorts since middle school and have always had a negative attitude towards the style.

When I think of jean shorts, I think of young teens wearing their jean shorts with Abercrombie screen printed T's, and really an all oversloppy appearance. Well, I have certainly changed my opinion on the denim short. Something about them really does seem so American, and laid back. Here are some pictures of celebs and their denim cut offs:

Hayden Panetierre

Denise Richards

Amanda Bynes

I do have to say I'm sure they fit in much more on the west coast and in the southern states than they do here on the east coast, however, I think that denim shorts are an alternative to the "sweats" look when running to Starbucks or running to the grocery store. I think they are appropriate for other occassions such as a country concert, a lazy day at the lake, or a day on a farm.

I will go on the record and say that I do not think they are appropriate for dining, wearing as a cover-up to the pool, for a party, or any other type of get together. Denim shorts are about as casual as you can get. But you'd be surprised, the price tag is not so casual. You can find True Religion, Rock & Republic, Sevens, Citizens, J. Brand, Joes, and Diesel. As much as I love those brands for my long jeans, I can't see spending upwards of $200 for a small amount of denim that I won't get too much wear out of.

I do want to try the denim short trend so I have found the perfect compromise. Levi's makes the perfect pair! I found them at Macy's for $20! Right now if you are a Macy's card holder you should have also received several 10% off coupons (expires July 5th I think), so add that to the price and they are around $16! They are the Juniors 513 Boyfriend shorts. They run small. I went up 2 sizes (going up the second size was to add some modesty to the fit). They are SO comfortable and they look great with plain flip flops and a nice J. Crew tissue tee. I also love them with my oversized boatneck tops from J. Crew.

Also, I think these might look best on women under the age of 25; maybe 30 (but hey, Jennifer Aniston rocks them, so try them out if you wish). If you are at all conscious about your legs, these are not for you because they won't give you the coverage that you want (that is why I won't purchase a designer pair). Again, the look is extremely casual and I even feel a bit skimpy in my pair, but I can't help but to love them (so comfortable)!

These are the exacty pair that I purchased. When buying any pair of jean short, I reccommend trying them on before purchasing them. Even if they are the same brand and a different style, they all are sized very differently.

Have you tried this style out? Did you have the same reservations about denim shorts as I once had? Are you still hesitant to try this look out? I'd love to know. I'm still iffy on when I'll even sport these, but as soon as I do, I'll do an outfit of the day (which will be more likely an outfit for a couple hours). Have a fabulous day!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

My obsession of the moment are these preppy pink Silk Twill Skull Ballet Flat from Rugby. They come in black as well! I just can't get enough of these. They would look so great with jeans or even dressed up with tights. Better yet, they are on sale for $99!!Have a fabulous day!Yours,sCe

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

This is my rant about BlackBerry's. I have had one for about 4 months now and I have to say I am not impressed in the least bit with it. I was due for a new phone and my family had all already switched over to the smart phones and I was the only one left with "outdated" technology. I had the EnV Touch and I couldn't rave more about that phone. Although I couldn't check my e-mail, browse the internet, or download apps, I think it was the greatest phone. The quality was about as top notch as you can get for a mass produced phone. It texted wonderfully with the roomy keypad and the touch screen was just fine for me. It took clear, quality pictures and the sound quality on it was fantastic.So I'm standing in the Verizon store and I am literally able to get whatever phone my little heart desires. My sister and dad already had the droid and really liked it however, I wasn't sure about the all touch screen factor. For me, I needed some buttons. I had been eyeing up the BlackBerry Tour which seemed to me like it would be a great phone. I would say about 90% of my friends already had either the BlackBerry or the iPhone (which wasn't an option since I have Verizon) so I was settled on getting the Tour.Low and behold, the salesman comes over to discourage me from purchasing the Tour because he says the little ball that is used to control the phone breaks very easily and it takes a while to order a new one. So I asked about my other options and he sent me to the Curve 2 (a.k.a the BlackBerry Curve 8530). In my opinion, it was not as sleek and stylish and the Tour and it felt so light weight and cheap to me that I had a hard time taking his word on it. He explained that the Curve 2 had updated software and everything that the Tour offered except world-wide capabilities. So, all in all I finally settled to get the Curve 2. Taking the knowledgeable sales person's word. Especially because the Curve 2 was almost half of the tour's price, I just figured why would he try and sell me something cheaper if I was going to purchase something twice the price.The Cons: So fast forward to right now. I've had this phone for 4 months and I absolutely detest it. The camera on it is AWFUL. It takes very pixelated, low quality pictures (as most of you have witnessed.. see below for the outfit of the day)As you can seen, and as you have seen in past posts, the color and resolution of the camera is just horrible. Also, when I am on a phone call it is hard to hear people and people sometimes have a hard time hearing me. It has volume and I turn it all of the way up, but I am unimpressed. Also, unless you talk directly into the mouth of the phone, no one will be able to hear you at all. As for the internet browser, for 3G I wouldn't consider it fast by any means. Unlike the iPhone, you can only have one internet page opened at a time. Another bad thing is that when you are texting the buttons click so loudly compared to any other phone I've ever seen. So whenever I am somewhere I shouldn't be texting (I don't do it that often, I swear!!!) everyone can hear me clicking away on my phone! I think the noisy buttons are because the phone is made of cheap-y plastic. When I hold it, I can just feel that it is "Made in China". Not to mention, the Facebook app is terrible! I know that is not Blackberry's issue, but the app really stinks!Now for the pros.. and there are not many.. There is a pretty wide variety of apps available. I love the Twitter App, the Weather channel app, and the Pandora app...especially because you can plug your BlackBerry right into any sound dock system or even into your car and you can have Pandora run through any speakers! It's especially great if you are heading to the gym and you forget your iPod because then you can just listen to your BlackBerry. The e-mailing feature works very well, I'm not impressed, but I don't have anything negative to say about that. Also the speaker phone is great. Unlike a regular phone call, a phone call with speaker is clear and crisp. Plus the little pad instead of the track ball is a lot better.All in all I understand that BlackBerry's are for the "executive" type and that they are not really meant to be a "social" phone. However, in my opinion, for anyone looking for a good phone, the BlackBerry Curve 2 (BlackBerry 8530) is not a good choice at all.

Sorry for the novel of a post but here is my question for all of you. If you have this BlackBerry, do you like it? Also, if you have any tips or suggestions or things I may not know about this BlackBerry please comment or e-mail me and let me know! Also if you have the BlackBerry Tour, do you like it? Should I have gone with my instincts and purchased the Tour instead? Others that do not have any of the phones I mentioned what is your favorite Smart Phone besides the iPhone (that is for SURE what I am going to get when my next contract with Verizon expires). Have a fabulous day!Yours,sCe

Monday, June 14, 2010

So in the true preppy fashion, I'd thought I'd post pictures of my family in their preppiest attire...Because we all know: once a preppy, always a preppy.. enjoy!

Like Father, Like son. My grandpa sporting the classic khakis with a pink polo and a blue v-neck Lacoste sweater. My dad with classic boat shoes, khaki shorts, and a tartan RL polo.

Men in polo shirts. My two uncles, and my dad in the pink!

My uncle, dad, and mom in Florida! I wish my mom still had that dress, it would totally be mine now!

This is 3 years ago but my one of my many senior pictures! I am so sad, the bow on this headband came off.. I miss it!

Sister cCm, and dad in D.C.

Me Freshman year of high school. When it was "cool" to wear two polos at once.

cCm and mom outdoor ice skating. cCm was the cutest child ever.

At the country club children's Christmas party...This was before cCm was born!

Mother, aunt, dad, and uncle. Love the polos for golfing! This was most definitely before I was born.

I so wish I could share more with you all, but that's all of the "old" photos we have scanned into our computer. These were of course before we had digital cameras. I encourage you all to do a post of your "old" family photos in your preppy garb!Have a fabulous day!Yours,sCe

Friday, June 11, 2010

This post is going to be a house tour of sorts. Only, I will be showing you all of the lovely ducks in our house. The duck motif is featured all over The Official Preppy Handbook. My family has had a love for ducks for ages, especially my dad. My first word as a child was even duck because we had so many ducks scattered around our home! So here are my favorite ducks of the C household. We'll first start off with the Mallard coaster. We have so many different sets of duck coasters that I've really lost track. Although the thing that is great about these coasters is that they go with most decor and are fun for guests to enjoy.Meet doorstopper duck. I remember this is the duck that I "played" with most when I was a child. It has a patchwork pattern that really gives it some character.These are bone china mugs that I absolutely adore. None are the same design and they are delicate but fun to drink my morning coffee or tea out of.Enter the 3 dimensional decoy. We have so many of these scattered around you'd think we had a large lake in our backyard.This one was hand carved. He still has his little tartan bow on from Christmas. I think it's time he donned a new one!

The classic mallard.

The flying duck drink-ware.

The Tervis Tumbler family of ducks.

This duck serves a purpose- it is a shoe polisher. We also have other feather friends that have a purpose. We have duck bookmarks, pencil sharpener, key-chains, wine bottle corks, etc. If we have it, it's probably in the shape of a duck.

Large China Vase that we house on the built in bookshelves.

A nice little ceramic dish to hold some knick-knacks.

Scenic duck place-mats, one of my favorite duck items to date.

Please tell me somewhere out there, there is someone with as many duck home furnishings as my family and I. I thought this was normal, and then friends started commenting "wow your family has a thing for ducks, don't they?". Well yes, I guess we do.Have a "ducky" day.Yours,sCe